Valve



Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE Charles W. Conrad, Philadelphia, Ifa.

Application July 1;

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mechanical valves and more particularly to valves of the type which operate solely by rotation of a valve member to open and close a passage. Such a valve'is simple and inexpensive but is subject to the objection that it tends to develop leakage more rapidly than does a valve which operates on the seating principle. This is due to the fact that there is nothing to compensate for wear of the parts in a simple rotary type valve. Such leakage tendency is particularly pronounced where the valve is used to control flow of liquids of extremely low viscosity. Y

The principalobject of the present invention is to provide a simple rotary type valve embodying means operable at will to compensate for wear of the parts. and to prevent leakage throughout the useful life of the valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve of the stated character which is simple in construction and may be manufactured at low cost. 3 I

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve which may be easily assembled and disassembled both during manufacture and for replacement of parts.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a rotary valve having an expansible valve member which may be expanded at will to compensate for wear of the parts. r

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of the valve is illustrated and wherein:

Fig. 1 is cross-sectional view of the valve structure; and

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of certain parts. 1 f

Referrin mor particularly to the drawing, there is provided a valve casing I having a passage 2 therethrough which is opened and closed by rotation of a valve member 3 extending transversely of said passage and having a valve opening 4. The valve member 3 is generally cylindrical in form, and the casing I has aligned cylindrical openings 5 and 6 to accommodate said member. A. plug 1 threadedly engages the lower opening 5 to close the same and to help support the rotatable valve member as hereinafter described. I 7

As shown in Fig. 2, the valve member 3 has slots 8 and 9 which divide said member into two halves. The slots 8 and 9 do not extend completely across the valve membenso that the two halves are 1948, Serial No. 36,402

connected at the top and bottom by portions l and H By this construction, the valve member isslightly expansibleby a wedging force tending.-.to spread the two halves apart, the connecting portions l0 and H permitting such expansion. "At its upper end, the'valve member has a key slot 12, and said member also has tapered recesses l3 and I4 at its opposite ends. A stem l has a flange l6 at its lower end disposed within 9,,opening 6 of the valve casing, and below said flange there is a key l1 which fits in the key slot-12. Thusthe stem is operatively connected to the valve member 3 to rotate the same between le -closin and valve opening positions. Blug 1 and key I1 are provided with tapered recesses l8 and H! which cooperate with the tapered recesses at the ends of the valve member'llto accommodate spherical elements and 2L 'aThe latter act as wedge elements to expand the7valve member whenever desired, as hereinatterdescribed. These elements also minimize a friction and the lower element 2| acts as a seatjingi -bearing on plug 1to support the rotatable valv'eimember. Further, the spherical elements 1 an the associated pocket-forming recesses insure alignment of the recessed parts and permit greater tolerances in the manufacture of the parts.

i'A'szshown in Fig. 1, a gland element 22 is t readed into the upper part of opening 6, and- 6 anfassociated gland element 23 is threaded into 'ftli e' upper part Of element 22, the two elements j forining the complete gland to accommodate suit- .."""ablef-i-packing material 24, which may be in the 1 term of a rubber ring. The gland also supports stem! l5 for rotational and axial movement. A

,gca'p or shell 25 is threadedly attached to element 22 and'is adjustable longitudinally by means of a nut portion 26. Within the upper part of the cap 25 is a bearing 21 an'd'a' plate 28, the latter 40 engaging a shoulder 29 on the stem I5.

Normally the cap 25 is stationary and the valve' pera'tes solely by rotation'of the valve member 3 1through rotation of stem l5 as by handle 30.

f The stem is held/axially against upward move mentby the engagement of plate 28 with shoul- ..;der;."*29-.' The bearing 21 effectively eliminates any i$rictiona1 drag on the stem during rotation v @the latter, plate 28 and the lower bearing plate beingrpermitted to rotate with the stem.

In the event that the valve member 3 and/or the casing I wear sufficiently to cause leakage of thewalve, the cap'25 is adjusted to move it slig htlydownward. This causes slight downward {arm movement of the stem' (5, through the agencyof bearing 21 and plate 28, the bearing may be made with the valve closed, the cessation of leakage indicating sufiicient adjustment.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the invention provides a simple rotary valve l5 embodying means adjustable at will tomaintai a snug fit between the rotating valve member'a'n'd the casing. Thus the inherent objsetion of thiss type of valve has been overcome.

the materials of which the parts are composed, suitable metals will generally be employed according to common practices in the art. 0f course, the rotatable valve member, when con,-. structed as shown, must'be composed of material capable of use as disclosed without fracture.

However, it should be understood that theinvention contemplates any suitable expansible construction of the valve member.

It will be apparent also that the invention is not limited as regards other structural details.

It is to be understood, therefore, that the -in+ vention contemplates such changes ,asimayoccurto those skilled in the art while retaining the structure essential to .the purpose of r the invene tion.

I claim: 1. A valve comprising a valve casing having a passage therethrough and also having a pair of the 'firstementioned passage and also having slots:-

ivi n said member into two semiecylindrical halves, said valve member also having a pairqof axially-spaced recesses located on the longitudinalaxis of said member and facing outwardlyof said member, a plug ,threadedly .engagingone of said casing openin s and closing the same, saidxplu havin a ces on its inner-surface in confront.- ing relation to one of the recesses of said valve member, the confronting recesses cooperatively fer-mine a pocket, a spherical element disposed in said pocket and engaging the walls thereof; a rotatable stem extending into the other casin openi g and having a recess at it inner end in confronting relation to the other recess or. said valv member, the lasteinentione o ntin reces s. c ope atively formin a second-pocke a second spherical element disposed in the lat-1 ter pocket and engaging the walls thereof, said recesses and spherical elements insuring alignment, of the recessed parts and also serving to ininirnizefriction as the valve member is rotated, interfitting means on said stem and said valve member whereby the valve member is rotated by rota i n o he s rn and manuall -o erable breaths, rec ss o th va e te ates 12- A valve gmprisine a see g it es ate invite m o aid spherical e men s nd th on .v

a passage therethrough, a generally cylindrical expansible valve member supported within said casing structure transversely of said passage for rotary movement between valve-closing and valve-opening positions, said valve member having a passage therethrough alignable with the first-mentioned passage and also having slots dividing said member into two semi-cylindrical halves sa d vel e berelso hav n a pair f axially-spaced recessesglocated on the longitudinal axis of said member and facing outwardly Nof, said member, said casing structure having an internal recess in confronting relation to one of the recesses of said valve member, the confronting reeesses cooperatively forming a pocket, a spherical element disposed in said pocket and engaging athevwalls thereof, a second spherical I element disposed in the other recess of said valve While no limitation is intended with respect to member, means for effecting expansion of said valve-member, said means including an element having a recess in confronting relation to the said other recess of said valve member and forming with the-latter recess a second pocket in which said second spherical element is diSDQSed, said :recesses and spherical elements serving to insure alignmentof the recessed par-ts, to minimize-friction when the .valve member is rotated, and toeifect expansion of the valve member, and means for rotating said valve member.

' 3. A valve comprising a casing structure having provision for-fluid fiow-therethrough, a rotatable valve member arranged :within said ca i g to control the fluid flow, said valve member having a passage ztherethrough and also having slots dividing said memberinto two expansible halves, said valve member also havin a pair of axiallyspacedrecesses located .on the axis of rotation of said member and facin qutwardly of said member, said'casing structurehavin an internal recess -in ,co'nironting relation to one of the re-. cesses' of said valve member, the confronting recesses cooperatively forming a pocket, a spherical element dispos d in and r ta ed by said pocket, a rotatable m extending into said casin; structure and havin a 166 s its 1 end in confronting relation to the other recess of said valve member, the la t-me t o d co fronting recesses cooperatively formin a second pocket, a second spheric l. lement di p sed in and retained by the latter pocket, said recesses and spherical lem nts. insu in al nm n f theree ssed parts and als serv n t m m friction as the valve memb s r at d intel fittin means on sa d, stem and i valve m e ber whereby the valve member is rotated by rotation {ofthe stem. and means f r m g a stem axially to effect expansion of said valve membe hrou h th medium o said spherical elements and the cooperating recesses of the valve member. 1

fl, A valve comprising acasing structure having p vision to fluid fl w thereth oueb a otata l expansible valve member arranged within said casing to control the fluid flow, said valve memerhavine, passa e the e h oue and a in g sl ots div ,g said member into two expansible halves, said valve member also having a pair of am My spaced recesses located on the axis of rothe other recess of said valve member, means for efiecting expansion of said valve member, said means including an element having a recess in confronting relation to the said other recess of said valve member and forming with the latter recess a second pocket to retain said second spherical element, said recesses and spherical elements serving to insure alignment of the recessed parts, to minimize friction when the valve member is rotated, and to effect expansion of the valve member, and means for rotating said valve member.

5. In a valve, a rotatable and expansible valve member having a passage therethrough and also having slots dividing said member into two expansible halves, said valve member also havin a pair of axially-spaced recesses located on the axis of rotation of said member and facing away from each other, a pair of spherical elements disposed respectively in said recesses, a pair of valve parts having recesses in confronting relation respectively to the recesses of said valve member and cooperating with the latter recesses to form pockets to retain said spherical elements, one of said parts being movable to effect expansion of said valve member through the medium of said spherical elements and the associated recesses, the spherical elements and recesses also serving to insure alignment and to minimize friction, and means for rotating said valve member.

CHARLES W. CONRAD.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

